FoodNet

Experimental cookery

1932

Page 403

Presented as published in 1932. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Grams per teaspoon Grams per teaspoon Phosphate 4.00 3.52 Tartrate 3.67 3.07 Sulfate-phosphate 3.70 2.85 The weights by Woodruff were determined by finding the average weight of a cup of the powder and taking 1/48 of this for the weight of a teaspoon. From the above weights it can readily be calculated that 3 tea- spoons of the sulfate-phosphate powder by the Halliday and Noble scale are equal to about 4 teaspoons by the Woodruff scale. When measured by teaspoons rather than by cups the averages of Woodruff are low. The weight of a teaspoon of baking powder can vary considerably even when a standard measuring spoon is used. For accurate experimental work the baking powder is weighed, but the housekeeper usually measures the ingredients for her cakes. Dipping the measuring spoon into the can and leveling off the surplus tends to loosen the powder. Thus the weight of the second or third teaspoon of powder will vary, depending on whether it is secured from the loosened or the more compact portions in the can. As the powder stands in the can it tends to become more compact. The averages for about 400 teaspoons of each type of powder, secured by leveling off the surplus powder after dipping the spoon in the can, have been about 506 BATTERS AND DOUGHS 3.0 grams for one brand of sulfate-phosphate, about 4.0 grams for a second brand, about 4.0 for the phosphate, and about 3.5 for the tartrate. Of course the optimum amount of baking powder, in addition to ( 1 ) the type of baking powder, varies with (2) the formula, (3) the thoroughness of creaming, (4) the method of mixing, (5) the extent of mixing, (6) the kind of flour used, (7) the technic of the operator, (8) time of adding the beaten egg white, and (9) the altitude. In general, formulas with high proportions of sugar seem to require slightly more baking powder than those with smaller proportions. The more thoroughly the butter and sugar, or the butter, sugar, and eggs, are creamed, the more air incorporated and the less baking powder needed. Of course, no more than a maximum amount of air can be incor- porated in any given mixture. Methods of mixing like the conventional-sponge in which a great deal of air is incorporated in the egg-sugar mixture may need slightly less baking powder than the conventional method. There is a limit to which cake batters can be stirred or beaten without affecting the tenderness of the product. In general, the sulfate-phosphat;^ types can be mixed longer than the other types of powders. Because of the tenacity of the gluten, more baking powder is needed with bread or all-purpose than for pastry or cake flours. If the beaten egg whites are added to the batter last, either by folding or stirring, a smaller proportion of baking powder produces a more desirable texture. As the distance above sea level increases, the atmospheric pressure is decreased. Consequently, because of the reduced pressure, a given quantity of baking powder has greater leavening ability at higher altitudes. Hence a smaller amount of any type of powder is needed at higher altitudes. Peterson has developed recipes for high altitudes.